Nightmare's Cure
by Amelia Reds
Summary: Painful memories start to plague Phil Coulson in his sleep and it seems the only thing that can help him now is what helped him when he was younger: Captain America. Guest Star: Pitch Black


**Hey, readers! Glad to have you back onboard. I know that there's still Wings of the Angel to work on, but I had this idea in my head, and I couldn't help but write it. **

**Thank you for all the reviews and faves and follows. You make my day, and I wouldn't be able to write without you all. ****J**

**I'd like to thanks fuckyeahagentamerica on Tumblr for inspiring me to write this. The drawing that sparked this was her "Our First Kiss" Capsicoul drawing. Doesn't exactly go with the story but it stems from there. ;) **

**All rights to their respective owners.**

_**Today's Star Guest: Pitch Black (Rise of the Guardians)**_

It hadn't been until recently that Phil had begun to have the nightmares. It had started small, with his father's voice echoing in the background, but with every passing night it had only gotten progressively worse. He was starting to wake up, shaking all over in cold sweat. Memories had started to pop up, and he could see his mother getting beaten all over again. All he could do was watch as blood and bruises blossomed under his father's relentless beatings.

Even with medication, the dreams kept coming and he was losing sleep from trying to avoid sleeping… dreaming. Though in reality, it wasn't dreaming. It was remembering,

"Agent Coulson!" Nick Fury's voice broke through the hazy cocoon that had started to close in around him. He opened his eyes, though he didn't remember when he had closed them. He shook his head, waking himself up.

"Yes, sir." Phil cleared his throat uncomfortably as he realized he was still in the middle of a meeting. Oh, yeah. Director Fury had called a late meeting at 8. All the Avengers were looking at him with worried eyes, and he flushed under their scrutiny.

"Please, stay awake during these meetings. They are important." Nick Fury's voice rang with authority but his eyes held the same soft worry that the other eyes did. With that, the director returned to explaining the next mission and Phil found himself zoning out on what he was saying. He was exhausted.

He jumped as he felt something push against his elbow. It was only a paper.

_Are you okay?-Steve_

Phil smiled and casting a discreet look towards Director Fury scribbled _yeah_ and passed it back to the captain. God, he felt like a school girl.

Captain America raised an eyebrow and Phil turned away before he began using the puppy eyes.

"Tomorrow's mission will include Captain Rogers, Stark, and Agent Coulson."

At this, Phil's head snapped up in surprise. He wasn't sent on missions with the Avengers; he was one of the background workers.

"Sir, why am I going?" Phil asked, frowning.

"All the other Avengers are going to be busy on their missions so for this once we're going to push you to the front lines." Director Fury said curtly. "Everyone's dismissed."

Phil stood up, quickly walking out before anyone could ask any questions, but of course, Pepper placed a hand on his shoulder and turned him around. Her eyebrows were frowning.

"Are you okay, Phil?"

"His name is Agent, but still what's up with you?" Tony stood next to Pepper, crossing his arms.

"Lack of sleep is all." Phil replied, making to move past them, but they blocked his path.

"Do you need anything?" Pepper asked. "Do you want some pills?"

"No. I'm fine. I'm just going to go take a nap." Phil gave the duo a tight smile and managed to edge past them, briskly walking towards his room. A nap was all he needed, and then he'd be right as rain. He had been given a room in Stark's Tower and although he never used it, today might be a good day to.

He entered his room and threw off his suit and tie, while grabbing the pajamas that were hanging in the closet. Once changed, he climbed into bed and closed his eyes. Sleep was quick to overtake him and he was submerged in his dream.

_ "__Please, please, stop." Phil was crying and he was pulling as hard as he could on his father's sleeve but the man just backhanded the boy, sending him to the floor. They were in the living room. Everything was a disaster. Tables were overturned and a lamp was broken on the floor. _

_Tears were running down Phil's face and all he could do was watch as his father beat his mother over and over again. Her face had blood running down it and she was dry sobbing, her chest heaving as she struggled to breathe._

_ "__You were always worthless. The both of you." His father's voice was cruel. Unfeeling. Phil remembered a time when that voice had been filled with kindness and love. It had promised him things. Now, it was cursing them like if they weren't family. _

_With that, the father kicked the woman in the stomach and marched off, his steps thumping down the stairs._

_Phil wasted no time in scrambling towards his mother who stayed on the floor, crying her heart out. It tore at Phil. Her trembling breaths told of the dream she would never have, of the life she had longed for. It showed all the broken promises that she had been given, all the meaningless vows, and all Phil could do was hold his mother, rocking her back and forth. His tears mingled with hers and he pressed a kiss to her forehead._

_Then, she did something unexpected. Something she had never done before. _

_She pushed him away._

_ "__Go away." _

_Phil stared at her in shock and sadness, and she got to her feet, swaying slightly._

_ "__Go away!" She yelled, sobbing. "GO AWAY!" She fell to her feet, and Phil ran from the room. With all the speed in his legs, he ran to his room, shutting the door behind him. _

_Even his own mother couldn't stand him anymore. He leaned against the door, sliding down to the floor until he had his knees pressed against his chest. It was his fault. All his fault. _

_He tucked his head in between his knees and cried out his heart. Maybe it would be better to be alone. To leave his family alone. _

_Phil looked up, eyes sparkling with a saddened determination but in the blur of his tears, he saw the poster he had put over his bed. Captain America. He suddenly remembered the day he had gotten it. _

_His mother had asked him why he loved Captain America, and he had replied readily that it was because he was loyal, brave, and kind._

_He remembered the look in her eyes as she turned his chin to face her, and how she had said, "Be like him. Be loyal and brave and true. Think of what Captain America would want you to do." _

_Phil took a deep breath. What would Captain America want him to do?_

_He would want him to be loyal to his mom, even when she didn't want him. _

_With that, he weakly got on his feet, padding over to the poster. He placed a hand against it and leaned his forehead against it. He had to be brave like Captain America. He had gotten through the beatings before. He dug under the covers of his bed and found his Captain America action figure. Phil pulled it tight to him. He could make it._

_Then suddenly he heard a scream and a gunshot. His father. Blind with panic, he sprinted out of his room and to the living room, where he found his father lying on the floor in a pool of his own blood. There was a hole in the back of his head._

_His mother was trembling with a gun shaking in her hands. Tears were streaming down her face. Slowly as is in slow motion, she raised it to the side of her head, and Phil's eyes widened in the realization of what she was going to do._

_ "__Mom-" Phil's breaths were coming short. "Please… put the gun down. Please." The last word came out as a sob._

_ "__I'm sorry." Her lower lip trembled. "I'm so sorry. I'm sorry."_

_ "__NO!"_

_A gunshot rang through the house and Phil lunged forward, but it was too late. All he could do was cradle the lifeless form of his mother, crying._

"PHIL!"

The agent shot up, breathing heavy as tears slid down his face. He looked up and saw in the blur of his tears, Steve Rogers looking down at him in concern. Even as a sense of déjà vu filled him, he launched himself to Captain America. He would make it all better. He always did.

Steve let out a surprised 'oof' but Phil was blindly sobbing into his shoulder.

"It's okay, Phil. You're safe. You're here." Steve's voice soothed him a little but he still clung to the captain like he was the last lifeline.

Steve stood up even as Phil wrapped his legs around the soldier. Phil was still crying.

"You're safe." Steve murmured as he took them over to the bed. He had seen this before. Soldiers who had PTSD suffered from realistic nightmares.

"How adorable." The dark, chuckling voice came from one of the corners of the room, and Steve dropped Coulson on the bed, turning to protect the agent.

In front of him was a tall, looming figure with sharp golden eyes. He had a sharp-toothed smile and Steve defiantly glared at the man.

"Who are you?" Steve asked sternly.

"Pitch Black, also known as the Boogey Man." Pitch chuckled as he glided over to the soldier.

"You don't scare me."

Pitch laughed.

"Oh, I know, but you know what does scare you? Losing people, letting down the ones you loves, being a failure, a life without love-"

"Be quiet!" Steve fumed even as he knew deep inside that it was true.

Pitch opened his mouth, but there was a sudden knock on the window and outside there was a floating golden figure. Pitch scowled and turned back to the captain who had his arms crossed.

"This isn't the last you've seen of me." The Boogeyman hissed before retreating back into the shadows. "And, tell your friend poor little Phil just how human you are."

Steve turned back to Phil who had by now woken up and was leaning against the headboard of his bed with his eyes closed.

"Phil?" Steve hesitated. "Are you okay?" He walked around the bed to the side where Phil was and sat on the edge.

"I'm sorry about earlier. Umm, I'll get Director Fury to know about this Pitch Black guy also." Phil looked up at Steve and was met with the captain's infamous puppy eyes.

"You can trust me, Phil." Steve said. Phil couldn't say no to him.

"It… it started out when I was seven. You were the hero of my dreams. I looked up to you. My mother and father bought me this poster and Captain America action figure. When I was eight, my father fell into these anger episodes and beat my mother and me." Phil was beginning to choke up already. "I would go up to my room and hold on to my action figure. Every time he would beat me I would just go back to the toy and remember your bravery. When I was ten, I guess my mother was tired of it all, and she…she killed my dad and right after killed herself. The only thing that kept me going was, um, you."

Before Phil could react, he was suddenly enveloped in a huge hug and he began crying.

"So that's why you launched yourself at me when you woke up. I was-"

"You were my source of comfort." Phil mirthlessly laughed. "Yeah."

"Do you… would you like me to sleep here with you?" Steve's voice grew small, and he blushed.

Phil bit his lip, a 'no' ready at the tip of his tongue, but then he said something that shocked both of them.

"Please."

Steve nodded and stood up, causing Phil to look at him with panicked eyes.

"I'm just going to go change. I'll be back in a second." Steve promised. Phil licked his lips and nodded.

As Phil waited for Steve, he got under the covers and he curled into himself, fighting the tears that were threatening to spill. Just as he was about the give into the memories that pushed at him, he felt two arms slide around him. He tensed then relaxed.

"It's alright. I've got you." Steve murmured

Phil turned in his arms and looked up to meet Steve's bright blue eyes. Steve looked at him with equal curiosity, and without thinking twice, Phil leaned up and pressed his lips softly against the captain's.

Steve pressed back gently, cupping the agent's cheek.

Then, the agent pulled back and circled his arms around Steve.

"Don't leave."

"I won't."

With that last promise, they both fell into peaceful slumber for the first time in quite awhile.

**I don't know whether to continue or not. It looks good as a one shot but if at least five people review, I'll continue.**

**Please fave, follow, and review! ****J****Thanks!**


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